Story+1999-09-08+Detroit,+MI

´´(sings ‘Take Me to the River’) that’s right ....that’s where I want to go....I wanna go to the river of life....and the river of love....the river of friendship....and of sexual healing....but you can´t get to the river alone and you can´t cross the river alone....so I found myself, as a young man....standing one evening in front of the dark trees....frightened to pass through the forest to the other side....even though I knew that on the other side of those trees was the river of life....and that river of hope....and of faith....and cold beer at a reasonable price....but I stood paralyzed....and then I looked into the trees and I saw a light flickering in the distance and I walked further and there was a gypsy woman sitting out in front of an air-stream trailer....and I told her my problem and she said....´Well, your problem is.... Mr.Independence, that you need some help...some companionship....to make it through this forest....you need a band, Son´....and so I’d like to introduce the dean of the university of musical perversity, the Secretary of Intelligence, Professor Roy Bittan on the piano....with me at the riverside.....the Secretary of faith and friendship, keeper of all that is righteous on E Street, Little Steven Van Zandt on the guitar....with me at the riverside....the man in charge of the foundation of the E Street nation, on the bass guitar, Mr.Garry W.Tallent....with me at the riverside....the Minister of the mighty beat, the Mighty Max Weinberg on the drums..... standing with me at the riverside....the Secretary of heart and spirit, the Godfather of the guitar, Mr.Nils Lofgren....with me at the riverside....the Minister of mystery and all things unfathomable in this life, Phantom Dan Federici on the organ....with me at the riverside.... now, brunettes are fine, blondes are fun and when it comes to getting a dirty job done, it takes a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I´m looking for a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) yeah, I said I´ve got to find a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) man, I´m searching for a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I´ve got to find myself a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I´m looking for a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I´ve got to get myself a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) the First Lady of love and sweet harmony, Miss Patti Scialfa on guitar and vocals....standing with me at the riverside.....but there was still something missing....I´d passed through the trees....and I could see people gathered all along the riverbanks....but there was still something missing.....something essential....something that we couldn´t go on without....something very big....very important....ladies and gentlemen, the Minister of soul, Secretary of brotherhood, do I have to say his name ?....do I have to say his name ?....do I have to say his name ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ? ....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?.....”
 * 08.09.99 Detroit, MI, middle of ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´**

´´Detroit !....Auburn Hills !...where the fuck is Auburn Hills?....but everywhere I´ve gone I´ve seen people lost in confusion....lost in the wilderness....lost in bitterness....lost in loneliness....I´ve seen people analyzed, downsized, stigmatised, factionalised, fractionalised, pass-the-tax-cut-for-the-rich-Republicanised, it ain´t too late to repent, it ain´t too late to repent your evil ways, we´re here on a search-and-rescue mission, if your soul's got bad credit, it´s good here, if your heart´s running on empty, we´re gonna fill it up, if your spirit´s bankrupt, we´re gonna lift that debt up off you, I´m gonna re-educate, resuscitate, regenerate, reconfiscate, reindoctrinate, resexualate, rededicate, reliberate you with the power, with the promise, with the power, with the promise, with the power, with the promise, with the majesty, with the mystery, with the ministry of rock and roll !....Now, I know....you're worried about the Y2K-problem, you´ve got Millenium fever, your stocks up, your bonds down, mortality is rearing its ugly head, well, I want you to know that unlike my competitors, I cannot, I shall not, I will not promise you life everlasting....but I can promise you life right now !....and all you´ve got to do is raise your hand and say ´I´....”
 * 08.09.99 Detroit, MI, middle of ´Light of Day´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//